FREDERICK HAMMERSLEY FOUNDATION... ...NEW MEXICO ARTS, DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

...AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU THIS TIME, ON COLORES!

IN HER BOOK COMPLICATED LIVES SHERRI BURR UPENDS THE BELIEF THAT ALL AFRICANS LANDING ON THE SHORES OF VIRGINIA BEGINNING IN 1619, BECAME SLAVES.

TRIIIBE IS AN ARTIST COLLECTIVE DEDICATED TO THE POWER OF PEOPLE.

EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES INSPIRES CHILDREN THROUGH CELEBRATING INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY.

AT SOLACE TREE, ART BECOMES A MEANS TO OPEN UP AND SHARE GRIEF.

IT'S ALL AHEAD ON COLORES!

OPENING THE DOOR ON FAMILY HISTORY.

>>MEGAN KAMERICK: YOUR BOOK COMPLICATED LIVES LOOKS AT THE COMMUNITIES OF FREE BLACKS LIVING IN VIRGINIA FROM 1619 TO 1865, WHY THE TITLE COMPLICATED LIVES?

>>SHERRI BURR: IF YOU CAN IMAGINE LIVING IN AN ENSLAVED COMMUNITY WHERE MORE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE YOU WERE ENSLAVED AND YOU'RE FREE, THAT THAT WOULD MAKE FOR A VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION.

WHAT WAS FASCINATING ABOUT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THAT SITUATION, LIKE MY ANCESTOR, IS THAT THEY COULD OWN PROPERTY, THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO MOVE, BUT THEY ALWAYS HAD TO KEEP ON THEMSELVES THEIR PASSES, INDICATING THAT THEY WERE FREE SO THAT IF SOMEONE THEY COULD SHOW, OR TRIED TO KIDNAP THEM, THEY COULD SHOW THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO BE FREE.

>>MEGAN: I THINK THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE THAT THERE WERE ACTUALLY FREE BLACK PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH DURING SLAVERY.

>>SHERRI: EXACTLY AND THERE WERE MORE FREE BLACK PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH DURING SLAVERY THAN THERE WERE IN THE NORTH AND I THINK THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE ONCE YOU WERE IN A COMMUNITY AND YOU HAD RELATIVES NEARBY IT JUST WAS EASIER TO STAY PUT.

>>MEGAN: DID YOU FIND HISTORICAL MISPERCEPTIONS LIKE THAT?

>>SHERRI: ABSOLUTELY, EVEN PERSONALLY I HAD NO IDEA UNTIL I STARTED DURING THE RESEARCH FOR MY FAMILY THAT THERE WERE FREE BLACKS IN THE SOUTH BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.

I THOUGHT ALL BLACKS WERE SLAVES AND ALL WHITES WERE SLAVE HOLDERS BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR AND NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS WERE TRUE.

>>MEGAN: THERE'S AN INTERESTING LEGAL CASE YOU FIND ABOUT JOHN >>SHERRI: YES.

>>MEGAN: WHICH IS FASCINATING.

>>SHEERI: YES.

HERE WAS A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUING EACH OTHER.

JOHN CASOR IS CLAIMING, UH HE'S ENTITLED TO HIS FREEDOM AND ANTHONY JOHNSON IS CLAIMING THAT HE'S NOT ENTITLED TO HIS FREEDOM.

THAT ANTHONY JOHNSON HAS THE SERVICES OF JOHN CASOR FOR LIFE.

>>MEGAN: AND THEY'RE BOTH BLACK?

>>SHEERI: RIGHT.

WHICH I REVEAL AT THE END OF THE STORY.

>>MEGAN: OH SORRY.

>>SHERRI: NO NO IT'S IT'S, IT COMES UP PRETTY EARLY.

I REVEAL AT THE END OF THE STORY THAT THEY'RE BOTH BLACK AND IT'S A WAY OF SHOWING THAT EVEN IN THE 1600'S THERE WERE BLACK LANDHOLDERS AND THERE WERE BLACKS WHO HAD SERVANTS AND I WANT TO SHOW THE CONFLICT THERE.

>>MEGAN: AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT WHITE PLANTERS STOOD UP FOR JOHN CASOR AND SAID, "NO HE SHOULDN'T BE A SERVANT FOR LIFE HE'S AN INDENTURED SERVANT."

>>SHERRI: EXACTLY AND HE'S ENTITLED TO HIS FREEDOM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS COMPLICATED IS THAT THE WHOLE SOCIETY WAS INTEGRATED, AND WE LIKE TO THINK THAT ALL OF THE SOUTH WAS SEGREGATED UP UNTIL THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.

IT WAS ACTUALLY INTEGRATED UP UNTIL RECONSTRUCTION AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER RECONSTRUCTION THAT THESE JIM CROW LAWS STARTED THE SEGREGATION PROCESS.

SO, BLACKS AND WHITES WERE LIVING NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER, THEY WERE NEIGHBORS, THEY WERE FRIENDS.

>>MEGAN: WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT?

LIKE WERE THERE INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS?

>>SHERRI: YES, THERE WERE INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS, THERE WERE ALSO BLACK PEOPLE WHO HAD BUSINESSES AND THEY WERE HAD OVERSTAYED THEIR TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS A LAW THAT SAID IF YOU FREE SOMEONE WITHIN A YEAR AND A DAY AFTER 1806, THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THE STATE OF VIRGINIA AND THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE WHERE WHITE LAWYERS AND JUDGES STOOD UP FOR THIS WOMAN WHO WAS A LAUNDRESS AND THEY SAID "OUR WIVES ASSURE US THAT IF SHE LEAVES WE'LL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER CLEAN WHITE SHIRT."

SO, THEY ACTUALLY STOOD UP FOR HER SO THAT SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.

THERE WERE ALSO A FAIR NUMBER OF INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT COME UP IN DIVORCES WHERE WHITE WOMEN ARE DIVORCING THEIR HUSBANDS BECAUSE THEY'VE TAKEN UP WITH EITHER FREE BLACK WOMAN OR AN ENSLAVED BLACK WOMAN.

THERE ARE WHITE MEN WHO ARE DIVORCING THEIR WIVES AND ONE INSTANCE A WHITE WOMAN HAD THREE BIRACIAL CHILDREN BEFORE HER HUSBAND SOUGHT TO DIVORCE HER.

>>MEGAN: INTERESTING.

>>SHERRI: AND IT'S ALSO COMPLICATED FOR BLACK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES, WHERE THERE ENTREPRENEURS, THERE WERE BLACK PEOPLE WHO WERE SLAVES WHO WERE WORKING ON THEIR DAY OFF ON SUNDAYS TO SAVE MONEY SO THEY COULD PURCHASE THEIR WAY OUT OF, OUT OF SLAVERY.

THERE WERE BLACK PEOPLE WHO WERE SELF-LIBERATING, LIKE HARRIET TUBMAN WHO JUST RUN AWAY.

SO, VERY COMPLICATED SITUATION.

>>MEGAN: WHY WAS THIS RESEARCH AND THE BOOK IMPORTANT >>SHERRI: AFTER I LEARNED WHAT HAPPENED IN MY FAMILY'S SITUATION, I WAS VERY CURIOUS.

MY ANCESTOR, MY FOURTH GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS LIBERATED AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD AND I FOUND THE DEED OF EMANCIPATION LIBERATING HIM AND I WAS VERY CURIOUS TO SHOW HOW LIVES LIKE HIS EVOLVED BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR AND I THOUGHT THAT IF I DIDN'T KNOW IT'S POSSIBLE THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WERE FREE BLACKS LIVING IN THE SOUTH BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHOW WHAT LIVES WERE LIKE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

WHAT DID YOU REALLY WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THE BOOK?

>>SHERRI: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY HARD FOR BLACK PEOPLE IS JUST TO OPEN THE DOOR ON SLAVERY AND I THINK IT'S HARD FOR WHITE PEOPLE TOO BECAUSE WE WANT TO JUST CLOSE THAT CHAPTER IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

I EVEN HAD PEOPLE TELL ME "I AM TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT SLAVERY."

AND MY- >>MEGAN: I SEE.

>>SHERRI: AND MY THOUGHT IS LET'S OPEN THAT DOOR BECAUSE THE BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE, DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT SLAVERY IF THEY OPEN THAT DOOR, THEY WILL FIND THAT THEIR ANCESTORS WERE AMAZING AND SURVIVING SUCH TOUGH CONDITIONS.

THEY'LL FIND THAT THEY HAD ANCESTORS WHO WERE FREE, WHO HAD BUSINESSES DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.

THEY WILL FIND PEOPLE WHO WHOSE ANCESTORS MAY HAVE BEEN ENSLAVED BUT THEY WORKED SO DILIGENTLY TO BUY THEMSELVES OUT OF SLAVERY AND WHITE PEOPLE MAY THINK NO I GOTTA CLOSE THE DOOR BECAUSE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT MY ANCESTORS WERE SLAVE HOLDERS, WELL AS IT TURNED OUT ONLY TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF WHITES HELD SLAVES AND THE PEOPLE LIKE THOMAS JEFFERSON WHO OWNED OVER A THOUSAND SLAVES IN HIS LIFETIME, THAT WAS THE VERY, THAT'S LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF THE UPPER ONE PERCENT NOW.

SO, THEY SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF INVESTIGATING THIS HISTORY?

>>SHERRI: EXACTLY.

CREATING COMMUNITY.

LOOK AT THE STARS.

I GUESS THEY'RE REALLY NOT THAT FAR.

WELL, WE WERE ORIGINALLY CALLED BLACK SEEDS TRIBE, SO TRIBE HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE.

BUT ONCE WE CHANGED OUR NAME FROM BLACK SEEDS TRIBE, WE WANTED TO KEEP TRIBE 'CAUSE TRIBE IS JUST THAT WHOLE INCLUSIVE FAMILY FEEL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO BRING TO THE CITY.

BUT THEN IT'S AN ACRONYM AS WELL, SO WE MAPPED IT OUT AS TRUE REPRESENTATION OF INTELLECTUAL INDIVIDUALS INVOKING BLACK EXCELLENCE.

THREE 'I'S IN THERE, THREE OF US, OF COURSE, WHICH IS AND THEN TRIIIBE OVERALL, LIKE THAT'S JUST OUR STAPLE.

WE OPERATE AS A TRIBE, YOU KNOW, AND WE REACH OUT TO PEOPLE AND LOOK TO MAKE THEM OUR TRIBE, SO.

>>AZIZA: I THINK WHAT SURPRISES PEOPLE MOST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN DOING THIS FOR, HONESTLY, A YEAR AS TRIIIBE AND ONLY TWO YEARS OF US REALLY KNOWING EACH OTHER, DIVING INTO WHAT IT MEANS TO CREATE.

>>PXVCE: I THINK THE DYNAMIC OF US, LIKE, BEING ONE MALE, TWO WOMEN, SHOWING HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, I THINK THAT'S NOT ALWAYS OFTEN SEEN, SO PEOPLE ARE NOT SURPRISED, BUT YEAH, THEY ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY ARE ABLE TO SEE HOW FLUID WE ARE ABLE TO WORK BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T OFTEN SEE IT THAT MUCH.

[HARMONIZING] >>SIRI: WE'RE NOT PROFESSIONALS AT ALL, WE DON'T TAKE TRAINING FOR THIS, WE LITERALLY JUST KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WE INVITE OTHER PEOPLE TO DO IT WITH US, AND WE ALL FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER AND WE JUST GET AND THAT'S POWERFUL FOR PEOPLE TO SEE, JUST TO KNOW HOW EASILY ATTAINABLE IT IS TO MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY BETTER.

[MUSIC] BIG HEART, TAKE BIG BANK EVERY TIME.

BIG HEART, TAKE BIG BANK EVERY TIME.

BIG HEART, TAKE BIG BANK EVERY TIME.

THERE'S A BOOK CLUB, THAT'S EVERY FIRST MONDAY.

>>AZIZA: THERE'S AN EVENT CALLED INDIGO VIBE & FLOW AND IT'S FOR LIKE AN INTERGENERATIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO COMMUNICATE.

THERE'S ALSO SOULSTICE, WHICH IS A YOGA MEDITATION, MINDFULNESS MIXED WITH FOOD.

>>PXVCE: WE GOT RAISING THE BARZ EVERY FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAY.

THAT'S DOWNTOWN, AND WE TALK TO THE CHILDREN IN THE CINCINNATI PUBLIC LIBRARY AND WE ARE CHALLENGING THEM TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>>AZIZA: WHAT ELSE?

THERE'S POTLUCK FOR THE PEOPLE EVERY LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH.

>>SIRI: URBAN GARDENING CLASSES, FITNESS CLASSES... >>PXVCE: OH YEAH, WE HAVE FITNESS CLASSES ON SUNDAYS.

WE TEAMED UP WITH DANIEL FROM BURST OUT WORKOUT FITNESS WHO'S A PART OF CINCINNATI PEACE MOVEMENT AS WELL.

>>AZIZA: SEEING ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO OUT TO THE DIFFERENT KIND OF THINGS THAT WE DO, THERE'S THIS RANGE, WIDE RANGE OF AGES, WIDE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS THAT COMES OUT TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH.

>>WOMAN ON STREET: SO OVER HERE, THIS IS THE ART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI.

STUDENTS GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT BY GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH ART.

I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN AWESOME THING THAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, PEOPLE GET A CHANCE TO NOT JUST EAT AND GET CLOTHING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IT'S FELLOWSHIPPING AND GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE, GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, GETTING TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ALL BAD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.

>>SIRI: WE'VE WANTED TO DROP AN ALBUM FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.

AND THEN WE HAD TO...WE CREATED OUR SOUND.

I WOULDN'T SAY WE HAD TO BUT... >>PXVCE: WE RECORDED LIKE FORTY SONGS.

>>SIRI: I MEAN...IT'S BAD YA'LL.

>>PXVCE: SO MANY SONGS THAT HADN'T EVEN MADE IT.

>>SIRI: IT WAS ALMOST TWENTY-TWO TRACKS ON THIS ONE.

>>AZIZA: THERE'S SONGS THAT WE'VE EVEN FORGOTTEN THAT AREN'T COMING TO MIND RIGHT NOW THAT... >>SIRI: FACTS.

>>AZIZA:...I'M SURE WE RECORDED THAT... >>SIRI: FACTS.

>>AZIZA:...WERE GOING TO BE ON THIS ALBUM.

>>SIRI: BUT IT STARTED OFF WITH JUST US WRITING A TON OF MATERIAL, US RECORDING A TON OF MATERIAL, DIFFERENT PLACES, LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT SOUND, WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

>>PXVCE: FOR THIS ALBUM, I FEEL LIKE WE SPENT ALMOST PROBABLY LIKE A SOLID YEAR, AND PROBABLY SPENDING THREE DAYS OUT THE WEEK, WE WERE DOING SOMETHING WITH THE ALBUM, WHETHER IT WAS WRITING SOMETHING TOGETHER, WHETHER IT WAS LISTENING TO SOMETHING TOGETHER, WHETHER IT WAS PLAYING SOMETHING, EVEN IF THAT WAS BEING PLAYED AND IT WASN'T ON THE ALBUM, JUST US GETTING TOGETHER BUILDING THAT CHEMISTRY, IT ALL STARTED TO CREATE EVERYTHING THAT WE WAS DOING.

>>AZIZA: THE CONCEPT FOR 'III AM WHAT III AM' IS ALL THAT WE ARE.

ALL THAT WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

TRUTH.

SPEAKING THAT TRUTH, STORYTELLING.

>>PXVCE: YOUR TRUTH, LIKE, I AM WHAT I AM.

LIKE, TAKE THAT.

EVERYBODY, JUST NOT LIKE AS TRIIIBE, BUT AS A LISTENER.

YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE.

[MUSIC] EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING THE UNIVERSE TOUCH EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING THE UNIVERSE TOUCH >>SIRI: WE TAKE ON ROLES LIKE REALLY WELL.

PXVCE IS A MUSCLE MAN.

HE GETS IT DONE, LIKE HE' AN EXECUTIONER I ALREADY KNOW THAT.

Z, HONESTLY, KEEPS US GOING.

SHE MAINTAINS US.

AND THEN, AGAIN, I'M JUST KIND OF BOSSY, SO YEAH.

BUT WE ALL, LIKE, WE DO HAVE THESE PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR US, NO, I WON'T SAY EASY.

IT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO STAY ORGANIZED.

>>AZIZA: WE HAVE MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE GOOD AT, AND TO UTILIZE, LIKE, HOW TO REALLY COME TOGETHER, THAT HAS BEEN LIKE A HUGE, HUGE PHASE OF GROWTH.

WE'RE ALWAYS EVOLVING AND FIGURING OUT HOW BEST TO WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER.

NOT JUST IN THIS THREE THAT WE HAVE, BUT ALL OVER THE CITY.

>>SIRI: WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS HAD THE PLATFORM OR PULL THAT WE HAVE NOW.

SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, IT WAS JUST THREE YOUNG ADULTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE...WE WOULD NOT BE HERE RIGHT NOW IF IT WEREN'T FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE GIVING US CHANCES, INVESTING THEIR TIME, ENERGY... >>PXVCE: SHOWING UP AT ALL THE SHOWS.

>>SIRI: SHOWING UP.

YEAH ALL OF THAT.

>>PXVCE: SHARING STUFF.

>>AZIZA: TAKING US PLACES, LETTING US USE THEIR CAR.

>>SIRI: OUR VISIBILITY IS HUGE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY.

>>WOMAN ON SCREEN: TO HAVE KNOWN TRIIIBE AS THREE SEPARATE BEINGS AND FOR THEM TO JUST COAGULATE INTO THIS SUPER BEING OF A GROUP, IT GIVES ME CHILLS.

THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY IS PHENOMENAL.

AND IT'S GLORIOUS AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO HEAR, YOU NEED TO HEAR, TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH LIVING A GOOD LIFE OR JUST BEING A BETTER PERSON.

THEY HAVE SET A BAR WITHOUT EVEN TRYING.

THEY PAVED THE WAY FOR PEOPLE TO FOLLOW.

AND THAT'S JUST THAT.

>>MAN ON SCREEN: TRIIIBE.

>>WOMAN ON SCREEN: TRI-I-I-BE!

>>MAN ON SCREEN: TRI-I-I-IBE.

>>WOMAN ON SCREEN: TRIIIBE.

TRIIIBE.

TRIIIBE.

>>SIRI: OUR MESSAGE AND OUR MUSIC IS NOT THE USUAL MUSIC AND SOUND THAT YOU WOULD HEAR OR AT LEAST ADVERTISE NOW.

AND THAT'S COOL 'CAUSE IT IS WHAT IT IS AND WE ARE WHO WE ARE, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT, IT'S REBELLIOUS EVEN, JUST SAYING LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WITH ALL THIS INFLUENCE AROUND US, THIS IS WHO WE ARE.

I AM WHAT I AM, AND THEN YOU JUST KIND OF HAVE TO DEAL EXPLORING WORDS AND INTERACTIONS.

THIS IS OUR 17TH YEAR AT EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES.

EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES IS AN ARTS AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PROMOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, KINDNESS, AND RESPECT.

>>LARISSA: FAVORITE PICTURE IN THIS WHOLE EXHIBIT.

OKAY, COME BACK HERE AND SIT DOWN.

>>SARAH: WE TRY TO START AT THE YOUNGEST AGE POSSIBLE, TEACHING THESE IMPORTANT MESSAGES OF KINDNESS AND RESPECT.

AND WE WANT THE KIDS TO COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR SO THEY CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND THESE MESSAGES IN DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH DIFFERENT PIECES OF ARTWORK.

AND THAT'S WHY THESE HIGH SCHOOL DOCENTS WORK WITH THE YOUNGER KIDS, AND REALLY ASK THEM QUESTIONS.

THEY'RE NOT THERE TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE ART PIECE, THEY'RE THERE TO SEE WHAT THE KIDS SEE, AND WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THIS ART PIECE.

I LOVE BEING A DOCENT.

I DO A LOT WITH KIDS ORDINARILY, AND IT'S JUST SO MUCH FUN FOR ME BECAUSE I LOVE WORKING WITH KIDS.

I LOVE TALKING TO THEM, AND THEN JUST BEING ABLE TO SEE THE CHANGE ON THEIR FACE WHEN I SAY SOMETHING THAT REALLY CLICKS, THAT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE, THAT IS I REALLY APPRECIATE EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES BECAUSE FOR ME, IT TIES IN TO WHAT I WANT TO DO AS AN ARTIST AND AS FAR AS MAKING ART THAT HAS MEANING, AND JUST SENDING A MESSAGE AND I THINK, EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

THE PIECE I SUBMITTED IN EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF ONE OF THE STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL.

HE'S MEXICAN-AMERICAN, AND THAT PIECE JUST REALLY SYMBOLIZED PEOPLE COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY MEXICO, IN SEARCH OF BETTER OPPORTUNITY.

IN ART, MY INTEREST HAS ALWAYS BEEN PAINTING PEOPLE, AND I LIKE TO MAKE IT MORE EXPRESSIVE, KIND OF ABSTRACT, USING MY MANY DIFFERENT COLORS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

BUT LATELY, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FOCUS MORE ON MAKING ART THAT HAS MEANING AND A PURPOSE BEHIND IT IN HOPES TO CREATE CHANGE.

AND THAT'S WHY I REALLY LIKE EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES 'CAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THAT, AND IT'S HELPING ME WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS ON HOW I COULD I THINK THE DRAW FOR ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO SUBMIT TO OUR EXHIBIT IS THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THIS TOPIC OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

SO WE GIVE THEM THAT OUTLET, AND THAT WAY THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO REALLY PUT THEIR EMOTIONS OUT HERE.

IN MY ART CLASS, ANTONIO IS ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHO IS MORE FOCUSED ON HIS ARTWORK DURING CLASS.

ANTONIO REALLY GETS EXCITED ABOUT MAKING ART.

AND YOU KNOW, HE'S ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAD OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT WORK TO EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES BECAUSE HE REALLY TOOK THE TIME AND PUT IN THE EFFORT TO MAKE A PIECE MORE COMPLETE.

I HOPE TO OPEN PEOPLE EYES WITH MY ARTWORK.

THE REASON I PICKED THAT TOPIC IS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE AND MY FATHER ARE GOING INTO WAR TO FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO KILL OTHER PEOPLE, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DIE BY OTHER PEOPLE.

I HOPE PEOPLE REALLY GET IT.

OUR GOAL WITH THE EXHIBIT, AS WELL AS OUR YEAR-ROUND EDUCATION PROGRAM, IS FOR EVERYONE TO START TREATING OTHERS WITH KINDNESS AND RESPECT.

SO WE WANT YOUNG KIDS, AS WELL AS ADULTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR WORDS MATTER, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS MATTER.

AS A DOCENT, IT IS OUR JOB TO TRY AND HELP THE LITTLE KIDS MAKE SENSE OF IT.

VARIOUS KIDS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES WITH THE ARTWORK, THEY INTERACT WITH IT DIFFERENTLY.

IT HELPS IF YOU HAVE A GOOD DOCENT WHO'S EXPRESSIVE IN ASKING THEM QUESTIONS.

YOU SAW THE MICE?

OUT OF THE 16,000 PLUS SUBMISSIONS, ABOUT 9,000 OF THEM WERE FROM STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOLS.

HOWEVER, THE REST OF THOSE SUBMISSIONS COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO THE BAYFRONT AND SEE THE 50 ART PIECES AND 50 QUOTATIONS THAT ARE ON DISPLAY, ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE FROM PLACES OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA.

SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE REPRESENTATION.

I THINK AN EXHIBIT LIKE EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF DIVERSE INDIVIDUALS, AND WE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHERE SOMEONE ELSE COMES FROM, YOU NOW, WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS, WHAT THEY GO THROUGH.

AND THIS EXHIBIT ALLOWS THEM TO SEE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT SEE.

>>ANTONIO: WHEN I DRAW, IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

IT MAKES ME FEEL RELAXED LIKE NOTHING IS AROUND ME.

I'M ONLY FOCUSING ON THAT DRAWING.

WITH EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES, I'D SAY THAT MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAY HAS BEEN THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME AND TRY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT PEOPLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THE EXHIBIT THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS ART CAN IMPACT THEIR DAILY LIVES, AND HOW THESE MESSAGES CAN CHANGE THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS IN A MORE POSITIVE WAY.

>>LARISSA: OKAY, I THINK MORE PEOPLE WANT TO DO IT.

DO YOU SEE THE WINGS?

EXPRESSING THE UNRESOLVED.

HERE AT THE SOLACE TREE WE HELP CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS WORK THROUGH THEIR GRIEF BY PEER SUPPORT GROUPS.

AND THE BIGGEST MEDIUM IN OUR ORGANIZATION IS JUST COLORING, DRAWING, PAINTING.

WE HAVE PEERS HELPING EACH OTHER THROUGH IT.

SO IT'S NOT US AS PROFESSIONALS AND ADULTS TELLING SOMEONE HOW TO GRIEVE.

IT'S MORE LIKE, HOW DOES THIS WORK FOR YOU?

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR STORY.

AND THEN THE KIDS, TEENS, AND ADULTS HELP EACH OTHER GET THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS BY KNOWING THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE AND THEY'RE FINDING THAT COMMONALITY AND NORMALCY.

PLAY IS A HUGE PART OF CHILDREN AND TEENS' GRIEF.

AND A LOT OF, FROM THE YOUNG CHILDREN, IT'S PAINTING.

IT'S TELLING THEIR STORY THROUGH PAINT AND THROUGH ART.

IT'S DOCUMENTING FEELINGS WITH ART.

AND SO HERE THEY ARE SHARING AND TALKING ABOUT THEIR LIFE OR THE PERSON WHO'S NO LONGER HERE, A SPECIAL MEMORY THROUGH PAINTING AND THROUGH COLORING.

THEY LIKE TO DRAW AND PAINT A SPECIAL MEMORY OF THE PERSON WHO'S NO LONGER HERE, IN MULTIPLE COLORS AND ON CANVASES, CONSTRUCTION PAPER, AND THEN THEY GET TO PRESENT IT TO EACH OTHER.

THEY GET TO PRESENT IT TO THE GROUP.

AND THEN THEY GET TO TAKE IT HOME AND PUT IT ON A MANTEL.

BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND SHARE WHY THEY HAVE THIS MEMORY THAT CONTINUES TO LIVE FOREVER.

PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER.

THEY COME FROM ELKO, SACRAMENTO, LAKE TAHOE AREA, RURAL AREAS LIKE FALLON AND FERNLEY.

AND THEY JUST MAKE THAT DRIVE TO GET THAT HELP.

EVERYTHING IS FREE AND THEY GET THAT SUPPORT.

AND THEY WANNA BE WITH OTHERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING GRIEF AND LOSS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES FAMILIES DON'T UNDERSTAND.

BUT WE DO.

AND THIS IS THE CLUB THAT NOBODY WANTS TO BELONG TO.

WE DO OUR PEER SUPPORT GROUPS AT THE BRIDGE CHURCH.

AND YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A VILLAGE.

WHEN WE FIRST ASKED IF WE COULD BORROW SPACE, WE WERE IN SCHOOLS, WE WERE IN A HOUSE, A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS USE WHATEVER THEY CAN USE, A HOUSE, AN OFFICE, A SCHOOL.

AND NOW HERE WE ARE IN A CHURCH.

WE'RE NONDENOMINATIONAL AND IT'S JUST BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE OUR FAMILIES COME FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF NEVADA AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

WE'VE GOT 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE JUST TO DO ACTIVITIES AND SHARE AND RUN AROUND AND PAINT, AND TO JUST TALK ABOUT STUFF THAT NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE ART IN OUR GRIEVING PROGRAM BECAUSE KIDS GET A CHANCE TO SHARE WHAT THEY'RE FEELING ON THE INSIDE.

YOU KNOW, WITH GRIEF, WE FEEL IT ON THE INSIDE AND MOURNING IS GRIEF GONE PUBLIC, IT'S ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THOSE TWO CHILDREN GET TO EXPRESS BOTH THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR BODY WITH DIFFERENT COLORS.

AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR FEELINGS THROUGH DRAWING AND COLORING AND THEN THEY GET TO SHARE THEIR ART PIECE, WHICH MAKES SENSE, RIGHT?

IF WE CAN ANALYZE IT AND WE'RE LIKE, WELL WHY DID HE OR SHE USE SO MUCH BLACK OR SO MUCH RED WITH ALL THE COLORS OUT ON THE TABLE?

THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE AND WE NEED TO ACCEPT IT AND RESPECT IT AND KNOW THAT IT'S A PRIVILEGE WHEN A CHILD GETS ON A CANVAS AND THEY SHARE ALL THEIR FEELINGS ON THE ART AND THEN THEY GET TO SHARE IT WITH US AS A GROUP.

WE THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THIS LITTLE CHILD WAS THINKING ABOUT WHEN ASKED, HOW IS IT GOING NOW THAT YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER ARE NO LONGER HERE?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOUR GRANDMOTHER WAS ALIVE?

PAINT THAT MEMORY FOR US.

AND IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER WORLD FOR THEM.

AND YOU CAN JUST SEE HOW IT MAKES THEM HAPPIER.

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO MY PROMISE WAS IF WE COULD HAVE THIS PROGRAM TO HELP EDUCATE, INSPIRE, AND SUPPORT ALL THESE KIDS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THIS GRIEF, WHICH WE LIVE IN THIS DEATH DENYING SOCIETY, THEN IN 20 YEARS THERE WON'T BE AS MUCH UNRESOLVED GRIEF IN RENO, NEVADA AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES.

BECAUSE WE KNEW IF YOU BUILT IT THEY WOULD COME.

AND WE HAVE BUILT IT AND WE'VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND WE'VE LEARNED FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AND RELIGIONS, AND IT DOES WORK.

WE GIVE CHILDREN AND TEENS AND ADULTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHATEVER THEY WANNA TALK ABOUT.

BECAUSE SOCIETY'S NOT LETTING US.

THEY WANT US TO GET OVER IT.

BUT WE'RE LEARNING TO LIVE WITH IT.

TO VIEW THIS AND OTHER COLORES PROGRAMS GO TO: NEW MEXICO PBS DOT ORG AND LOOK FOR COLORES UNDER WHAT WE DO AND LOCAL PRODUCTIONS.

ALSO, LOOK FOR US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.

"UNTIL NEXT WEEK, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING."

FUNDING FOR COLORES WAS PROVIDED IN PART BY: FREDERICK HAMMERSLEY FOUNDATION... ...NEW MEXICO ARTS, A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

...AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU